Out Nano-ing the Nano: Tara's Tiny EV to be the World's Cheapest Car (But Not by Much)
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles 
on 02.18.08
Image courtesy of arulnathan via flickr
Officially unveiled only a month ago to deafening praise, the Tata Nano, or "one lakh car," is already in danger of being overtaken by a new Indian Challenger - Bengal Enamel's Tara Tiny. Priced at just a fraction of a dollar less than the Nano - 99,999 rupees vs. 100,000 rupees (roughly $2,500) - the Tara Tiny, unlike its rival, will be a battery-powered EV; the four-seater will have a range of 62 miles (100 km) and a top speed of 43 mph (70 km).
Aucma, a Chinese firm that specializes in the manufacturing of EV components, has formed a $1.5 billion partnership agreement with Tara to build 60-70% of the Tiny's parts - the rest will be built domestically. The Tiny is expected to be rolled out within the next 4-5 months; the company also plans on unveiling three other EV labels - Tara Titu, Tara Micro and Tara Mini. The price tags of these other models is estimated to range between 99,999 rupees and 5.5 lakhs.
Also in the pipeline: battery-powered two-wheelers and three-wheeler-like auto rickshaws. As for the Nano, there are currently no plans to bring the vehicle stateside or to the EU; however, as we've reported on before, Tata - in collaboration with Chrysler - has recently announced plans to bring an electric version of its Ace mini-truck to the U.S. by the end of 2008.
Via ::AutoblogGreen: Move over, Tata Nano; Tara's electric Tiny is now the world's cheapest car (blog)
See also: ::The Tata Nano Unveiled, ::Tata and Chrysler to Collaborate on Making Electric Vehicles
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Throw in some pv solar pavilions and they will have a sweet deal.
Food for thought, legally I can ride a motorcycle without a helmet (in my state).
Why do I need crash protection in a car? I'm not required to have any on a motorcycle FYI, I do wear leathers and a helmet)
Maybe the NEV laws need to be relaxed to support more realistic speeds (say maybe 45mph max to support 40-45mph speed limits that are common and hard to avoid) and limited crash protection.
Stick a big warning label on the cars so people are aware of the risks, and let the market decide what it will drive and what we won't
True. Let the mkt at large decide. Of course, there will also be court decisions when families get squashed like a bug. . . warning label or not.
I am suprised motorcycles are allowed to operate given the level of regulations these days (I ride them too).
I remember when trike ATVs were nixed.
So build it out of carbon fiber and let it get 200 miles to the charge with existing technology... and make it affordable. It's (another) start.
vsk
I am a U.S. citizen. I don't drive a truck or an SUV. Nor do I eat at McD's or BK. I'm a vegan so I don't need an SUV or pickup truck to haul my super-sized butt to either food chain.
Back to the point.
It would be nice for the U.S. automobile manufacturers to quit green washing and actually build a truly green vehicle people could afford.
Everyone likes to blame the automakers for all the wait in a better greener vehicle, but that is unfair. There is a ton of gov't regulation that stands in the way. If we had a true free market we would most likely already be driving EV's, especially in the cities.
Sorry to hear you have a super-sized butt, Troy.
How much greenhouse gas will the production of the electricity needed to recharge this car create?
tara tiny is obviosly much better than the nano for many reasons. it is clearly greener, so thats enough. o and troy, sorry about the super-sized butt.
thanks.